A versatile dual-species Zeeman slower for caesium and ytterbium

We describe the design, construction, and operation of a versatile dual-species Zeeman slower for both Cs and Yb, which is easily adaptable for use with other alkali metals and alkaline earths. With the aid of analytic models and numerical simulation of decelerator action, we highlight several real-...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review of scientific instruments 2016-04, Vol.87 (4), p.043109-043109
Main Authors: Hopkins, S. A., Butler, K., Guttridge, A., Kemp, S., Freytag, R., Hinds, E. A., Tarbutt, M. R., Cornish, S. L.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alkali metals
ATOMS
CAPTURE
CESIUM
Computer simulation
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
Deceleration
INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
LOADING
Mathematical models
MOLECULES
Scientific apparatus & instruments
SWITCHES
YTTERBIUM
ZEEMAN EFFECT
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Summary:We describe the design, construction, and operation of a versatile dual-species Zeeman slower for both Cs and Yb, which is easily adaptable for use with other alkali metals and alkaline earths. With the aid of analytic models and numerical simulation of decelerator action, we highlight several real-world problems affecting the performance of a slower and discuss effective solutions. To capture Yb into a magneto-optical trap (MOT), we use the broad 1 S 0 to 1 P 1 transition at 399 nm for the slower and the narrow 1 S 0 to 3 P 1 intercombination line at 556 nm for the MOT. The Cs MOT and slower both use the D2 line (62 S 1/2 to 62 P 3/2) at 852 nm. The slower can be switched between loading Yb or Cs in under 0.1 s. We demonstrate that within a few seconds the Zeeman slower loads more than 109 Yb atoms and 108 Cs atoms into their respective MOTs. These are ideal starting numbers for further experiments on ultracold mixtures and molecules.
ISSN:0034-6748
1089-7623
DOI:10.1063/1.4945795